It was a slow start to the week with just a trickle of migrants arriving from the weekend through the storm system on Wednesday. However, a successful twitch, and a couple of light flights overnight made for a great week of spring birding.  Of course, there was also another successful Feathers Over Freeport: A Birdwatching Weekend on Saturday and Sunday. Even though they didn’t produce any birds of note, it was a wonderful weekend full of birdwatching highlights.  Photos will be posted soon, while the summary of our morning birdwalks is posted here.

My observations of note over the past seven days included:

• 1 SANDHILL CRANE (Finally, my FOY after missing a bunch of them at the watch this year), Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch, 5/1.

• 11 continuing BLACK-BELLIED WHISTLING DUCKS, downtown Camden from public trail behind the Knowlton Street Skate Park, 5/2. Photos above.  Videos at: https://www.facebook.com/Freeportwildbird/videos/?ref=page_internal

• 1 SANDHILL CRANE, Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch, 5/3.

• 1+ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, private property in Durham, 5/5 (with Jeannette).

• 1 continuing Louisiana Waterthrush, Morgan Meadow WMA, 5/6.

And my list of personal “first of years” this week also included the following:

• 2 Chimney Swifts, Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch, 5/1.
• 1 PURPLE MARTIN, Bradbury Mountain Hawkwatch, 5/1.
• 2 Black-and-white Warblers, Lily Pond, Rockport, 5/2.
• 1 Northern Parula, Lily Pond, Rockport, 5/2.
• 1 Ruby-throated Hummingbird, our yard in Pownal, 5/3.
• 1 Bank Swallow, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 5/3.
• 2 Black-throated Green Warblers, Florida Lake, 5/3.
• 1 Gray Catbird, feeders here at the store, 5/4.
• 1 Ovenbird, private property in Durham, 5/5 (with Jeannette).
• 2 Common Yellowthroats, Morgan Meadow WMA, 5/6.
• 1 Prairie Warbler, Morgan Meadow WMA, 5/6.